Michel Prieur, founder and president of Compagnie Générale de Bourse (CGB) passed away last week in Paris leaving behind a legacy of important contributions to numismatics. His breadth of knowledge was most impressive and his passion for the hobby and trade was unsurpassed.

One of Michel’s most memorable contributions to ancient numismatics was publication of the authoritative treatise on Syro-Phoenician tetradrachms, A Type Corpus of the Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and their Fractions from 57 BC to AD 258, which he wrote with Karin Prieur in 2000. It is the undisputed standard reference to this difficult field.

He contributed widely to the entire coin collecting world through his online archives, blogs, publication of exceptional catalogues and the Bulletin Numismatique. He was recognized internationally as an authority on forgery of coins and paper money. A large part of the success that CGB has enjoyed may be credited to Michel’s development of a superb staff that will carry on in his name for many years to come.

Michel and CGB have been dedicated supporters of and contributors to the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild with every member of their numismatic staff being enrolled as an ACCG member. The firm was a strong supporter of The Celator from its earliest days. He will be sadly missed and warmly remembered.

Retiring in 1982 from the U.S. Air Force, Wayne earned a MA degree in Art History at the Univ. of Wisconsin. In 1986, he founded The Celator — a monthly journal about ancient coins. He co-authored "Turkoman Figural Bronze Coins and Their Iconography" (2 vols.) and wrote the six vol. series "Ancient Coin Collecting" (3 are in expanded 2nd ed.), the monograph "Classical Deception" and the exhibition catalogue for the Griner collection of ancient coins at Ball State University. He wrote the "Coin Collecting" article and revised the main "Coins" article for Encyclopaedia Britannica. Wayne is a Life Fellow of the ANS; Fellow of the RNS (London); Life Member of the Hellenic Numismatic Society (Athens); Life Member of AINS;and member of numerous other numismatic organizations including the American Numismatic Association and the Numismatic Literary Guild. He is the founder and current Executive Director of the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild, has lectured extensively, written more than 200 articles about ancient coinage, and is a recipient of the "Numismatic Ambassador" award from Krause Publications. He is a biographee in Marquis, "Who's Who in America" and in "Who's Who in the World".

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